The U.S. Department of Transportation sued Southwest Airlines Wednesday, alleging it illegally operates flights that are persistently delayed, harming passengers and fair competition in the airline industry.

Yesterday, the United States and U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) disclosed a lawsuit against Southwest Airlines, accusing the airline of chronically delayed flights and interrupting passengers’ travels.

The Department of Transportation is suing Southwest Airlines, accusing it of operating two “chronically delayed flights” in 2022 that resulted in 180 flight disruptions.

Key Takeaways Southwest Airlines stock fell Thursday after the Department of Transportation sued the airline over a pair of "chronically delayed flights."The federal agency says Southwest operated two flights in 2022 that arrived later than scheduled more than half the time for five consecutive months.

This "sends a message to all airlines" that DOT will go to court in order "to enforce passenger protections," Pete Buttigieg said.

The agency is seeking civil penalties against Southwest Airlines, and also fined Frontier Airlines for its continuous delays.

The Transportation Department is taking legal action against Southwest, alleging the airline illegally operated persistently delayed flights and disrupted passengers' travel plans.

The US Department of Transportation (USDOT) is suing Southwest Airlines for “illegally operating multiple chronically delayed flights and disrupting passengers’ travel,” according to a press release.

The Department of Transportation is suing Southwest Airlines and accusing the carrier of “illegally operating multiple chronically delayed flights” that resulted in 180 flight disruptions on two routes in 2022.